Running-gear for vehicles.



No. 755,228. y PATBNTBD MAR. 22, 1904. VANORAN JBFPRIES.

RUNNING GEAR FOB. VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1903.

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RUNNING GEAR PON VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1903.

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vthe under side. of the axle.

UNITED STATES Patented March 22, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

VAN ORAN JEFFRIES, COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOB- OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES STRADER, OF COLUMBUS,` OHIO.

RUNNING-GEAR FORVEHlCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '755,228,11ated March 22, 1904.

Application led August 17, 1903, Serial No. 169,845. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, VAN ORAN J EEFRIES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oolum.

bus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented 'a certain new and useful Improvement in Running-Gears for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to running-gears for vehicles, and has for its object to provide an improved ifth-wheel structure wherein the usual king-bolt is dispensed with and an ar. rangement is provided to withstand severe strain and at the same time permitting of the free and unrestricted turning of the axle.

It is furthermore designed to provide a device which is complete in itself and arranged for convenient application to the front axle of any ordinary form of running-gear without requiring any change or alteration in the latter.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, vshown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within .the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating the device of the present invention applied to an axle. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof, parts being broken away to illustrate the connection with the reach-barl of the running-gear. Fig. 3 is a central transverse sectional v1ew of the device. F10. 4 is a top plan view with the upper or bodybolster member removed. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the body-bolster member. Fig'. 6 is a detail view of the plate for application to Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the reach-engagingmember. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective viewpof the coupling-bracket. A v

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every ligure of the drawings.

, member.

vshown in Fig. 2 only of the drawings. "the middle of the member 12 is a fiat bearing To adequately illustrate the application and operation of the present device, there has been shown in the drawings a portion of an ordinary axle 1, having the usual cap 2 thereon, and an ordinary body-bolster 3. Upon the top of the cap or axle-bolster 2is fitted the axle member 4, which is provided near its opposite ends withv transversely-disposed elevated and substantially horizontal arcuate bearing portions 5. The middle of this member is elevated and given a segmental or substantially semicircular form, as indicated at 6, with its convexed edge at the front of the Between the elevated portion 6 and each bearing portion 5 is a pendent ear 7, which lits against the front of the axle-bolster 2 and is secured thereto by means of a suitable fastening 8.y Beneath the axle is a bottom plate 9, (best shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings,) with its opposite ends provided with perforate ears 10, projected at opposite sides of .the axle and designed to receive the end portions of the axle-clips 11, which embrace the ends of the member 4, thereby to hold said member, the axle-bolster, and the plate 9 snugly upon the axle.

Fitted to the under side of the body-bolster 3 is the upper member 12. (Shown in detail in Fig. 5.) This member is provided with transverse arcuate bearing portions 13, which correspond to and work upon the bearing portions 5 of the axle-plate 4, and is furthermore provided at opposite sides with perforate ears 14 for the reception of the" ends of the clips 15,` which embrace the body-bolster, and the usual elliptical spring 16, the latter beig t portion 17 to bear upon the top of the intermediate elevated portion 6 of the axle member, and this intermediate portion is projected rearwardly and provided with a' perforation 18 for the reception of a pivot-stud 19, rising from the middle of the back of the part 6, thereby forming a pivotal connection between the axle and bolster members. The middle portion of the member 12 is also provided with a forward extension 20, which is socketed or recessed upon its under side, as best indicated in Fig. 5. The rearwardly-extended middle portion of the member 12 is provided with a pair of integral pendent screw-threaded pins or bolts 21.

Disposed intermediately in rear of the axle is the reach-engaging member, consisting of a substantially horizontal plate 22 to fit against the under side of the elevated portion 6 of the axle member and having a perforation or socket 23 for the pivotal reception of a stud or pin 24, pendent from the part 6 and in vertical alinement with the upstanding pin 19 thereof. At the forward end of the plate 22 there is an elevated shoulder or tongue portion 25 to fit within the socketed part 2() of the bolster member 12. In rear of the socket 23 in the plate 22 is a pair of pendent tubular sockets 26 for the reception of the pins 21, and

projected rearwardly from the sockets 26 are straps or arms 27, which are designed to lie upon the upper sides of the ordinary reachbars, one of which has been indicated at 28 in Fig. 3 of the drawings, while both of such bars are shown in Fig. 2.

To unite the several members and prevent separation thereof, there is a reversely-disposed substantially L-shaped coupling-b racket 29, the horizontal member 30 of which lies transversely across the intermediate portion of the bottom plate 9 and has a terminal crosshead 31 to lie across the under sides of the reach-bars 28 and provided with perforations 32 for the reception of the lower projected ends of the pins 21, there being suitable nuts 33 fitted to the projected ends of said pins.

Immediately in front of the cross-head 31 there is a pivot pin or projection 34, rising from the bracket part 3() and fitting within a perforate ear 35, projected rearwardly from the intermediate portion of the plate 9. The upstanding part 36 of the coupling-bracket lies in front of the axle and pierces the tongue portion 25 of the reach-engaging member 22 and the socketed part 2O of the bolster member 12, with nuts 37 to embrace said parts 20 and 25.

From the foregoing description it will be be understood that the bolster member 12, reach-engaging member 22, and the rear end of the coupling-bracket 29 are rigidly connected by means of the pins 21, and the front portions of the member 12 and the member 22 are rigidly connected by the upstanding part 36 of the coupling-bracket. while the axle and the upper and lower axle members 4 and 9 are pivotally mounted upon the rigidly-connected members through the medium of the pivot studs or projections 19, 24, and 34, which are in vertical alinement in rear of the axle.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of an axle member having an arched portion provided with verticallyalined pendent and upstanding pivot-pins, a reach member to project beneath and at opposite sides of the arched portion of the axle member and provided with a socket to receive the pendent pivot-pin, a bolster member having a portion to project across the top of the axle member at opposite sides thereof and provided with a socket to receive the upstanding pivot-pin, the rear portion of the bolster member being rigidly connected to the reach member, and a substantially L-shaped bracket having its rear portion connected to the reach member and its upstanding part piercing and rigidly connecting the front portions of the reach member and the bolster member.

2. rIhe combin ation of an axle member having an arched portion provided with verticallyalined upstanding and pendent pivot-pins, a reach member projected beneath the arched portion of the axle member at opposite sides thereof and provided with a socket to receive the pendent pivot-pin, a bolster member lying' above the reach member and provided with a socket to receive the upstanding pivot-pin, a member for application to the under side of an axle and provided with a socket in vertical alinement with the pivot-pin, and a substantially L-shaped bracket having one end connected to the reach member, its opposite end connected to the forward portions of the reach member and the bolster member, and provided with a pivot-pin for engagement with the socket of the lower axle member.

3. The combination of an axle, a plate applied to the lower side thereof and having a socket projected in rear of the axle, an upper axle member having an arched portion projected in rear of the axle and provided with upstanding and pendent pivot-pi ns in vertical alinement with the socket of the lower axle member, a reach, a reach member having a tongue portion projected beneath and in front of the arched portion of the axle member and provided with a socket receiving the pendent pivot-pin, a bolster, a bolster member applied to the under side of the bolster and having a socket receiving the upstanding pivot-pin, a substantially L-shaped bracketluwingits horizontal member lying beneath the axle with its upstanding member connected to the front end of the reach member, the horizontal member ofthe bracket having an upstanding pivotpin fitting the socket of the lower axle member, and fastening means connecting the rear portions of the bolster member, the reach member and the bracket with the front portion of the reach.

VAN GRAN JEFFRIES.

In presence of- C. C. CLoUsE, H. B. BRADsHAw.

IOO 

